All change at the end of the reign in Spain

After the shock victory of the Socialists in Spain’s elections, speculation is rife about who will be the new faces of the EU’s fifth biggest member state in José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero’s cabinet.

EN can reveal that the top candidate for the foreign minister post is Miguel Angel Moratinos, former EU special envoy to the Middle East. However, former European commissioner Manuel Marin and…Javier Solana, the Union’s current foreign policy chief, are also said to be in with a chance.

Miguel Sebastian is favourite for the finance ministry, but Pedro Solbes, the economic and monetary affairs commissioner, is said to be interested too. Alternatively, he could be reappointed in the new Commission team taking office on 1 November or throw his hat in the ring for the top job at the International Monetary Fund. Rodrigo Rato, the finance minister, was widely tipped prior to the elections.

But what of the Palacio sisters after their party’s poll defeat? Ana, the current foreign minister, may settle for a seat in Spain’s parliament, but Loyola did not contest last Sunday’s elections and may now fight the European Parliament elections in June. Not quite at her level of expectations, but not too bad – as the Spanish are the highest-paid MEPs…

There is something splendidly parochial about the state-aid investigation launched last week by the European Commission’s competition department into JC Decaux, a French advertising company. The question …